Telephone-signal.



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Inventor. Thomas P. Jordan by MW Witnesses.

male Amy's.

1 UNITED sTA'rEs PATENT oFFroE.

THOMAS P. JORDAN, or DALLAS, rEXAs, ASSIGNOR or TWO-THIRDS TO To whom it may concern:

Beit known'that I, THoMAs P.- J ORDAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, Dallas county, Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Telephone-Signals, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same, reference beingf-ihad to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this speclfication, in which the figure shows a mechanism embodying the; features of my invention. a a 1 This", invention relates to electrically-operated signals; and the object of my inven tion is to provide a visual signal for indicating the ringing of a telephone-bell.

In 'oflices that are provided with two or moretelephones operated by different companies or on separate circuits it is the general custom to place the telephones at the same'fpoint in the room or in the same telephonebooth. Consequently when the bell of one of the telephones rings it is impossible to tell which telephone the call is on without first removing the receivers of the different telephones until the user finds the telephone on which the call is. This has led to a great deal of confusion and loss of time; and the principal object of my invention is to provide 'a visual signal to be connected to a tele phone and which is automatically moved into operative position when the telephone-bell ringsf The signal is automatically returned to its inoperative position, preferably when the telephone-receiver is removed from its hookor when the talkingcircuit of the telephone is completed.

In, the mechanism herein shown, which represents the preferred form of my invention, the signal is held in its inoperative position by a device which is controlled by a magnet or magnets that are energized by the ringing of a telephone-bell to release the signal and permit it to move into operative position by gravity. The returning of the signal to its inoperative position is also prefer ably controlled by a magnet or magnets which are energized when the telephone-receiver is removed from its hook.

Referring to the drawing, which represents the preferred form of my invention, 1 designates a target or signal carried by an arm 2, projecting from an armature 3, which GEORGE A. GARDEN;

Specification of Letters .Patent.

L I l A; Application filed June 1551905; Serial E0. 321,879.

OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

is lpivotally connected at 4 to a stationary support 5.

The; inoperative position of the target is indicated at A in the drawing, the target and armature being shown in full lines, and said target is retained in this position by a trigger 6, secured to a pivotally-mounted armaturei. A magnet 8 controls the armature 7-, and this magnet is in the circuit a, includingthe bell 9 and condenser 10, the magnet 8 consisting of a core that is wound by a pcirtignof the wire in the circuit a. The armature 3, that carries the target 1, is controlled by the magnet 11 in the circuit I), also consisting of a wound core, and 12 and 13 indicate the line-wires from the local exchange with which said circuits connect, the receiver-hook 14 being arranged between the cpntacts 15 and 16 of the circuits at and 6, respectively.

i As previously stated, A indicates the inoperative position of the target, and when a r1nging-circuit is passed over the line-wires 12 and 13 the bell 9 will ring and the magnet 8 be energized, because the receiver-hook is in engagement with the contact 15 of circuit (1. Accordingly the magnet 8 will attract the armature 7 and thus move the trigger 6 out of engagement with the armature 3, which carries the target, said target then moving by gravity into its operative position B, as indicated by dotted lines in the drawing, and thus indicate that there is a call on this telephone. When the receiver is removed from the hook 14, said hook will pass into engagement with the contact 16 of the circuit 1), and thus energize the magnet 1 1, which attracts the armature 3, thereby returning the target to its inoperative position A, the trigger 6 being moved into engagement with the armature 3 to retain it in this position by means of gravity, the lower end ofthe armature 7, which carries said trigger, being heavier than the other end thereof. When the receiver is again placed on the hook, said hook will move into engagement with the contact 15 of circuit a, so that when a ringing-current passes over the line the bell and magnet 8 will be again operated to permit the target to drop into its operative position.

While I have herein shown my signal as consisting of a pivotally-mounted target, it

is obvious that the same principle could be embodied in a target mounted in a different manner, or, if desired, some device other than a target could be employed for the signal.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In a telephone comprising a bell-ringing circuit and a talking-circuit, a movable signal, means actuated by a current passing over said bell-ringing circuit for permitting said signal to move into an operative position, and means actuated by a current passing over said talking-circuit for restoring said signal to an inoperative position; substantially as described.

2. In combination with a telephone comprising a talking-circuit, a movable signal, an armature connected to said signal, means for moving said signal into an operative position, and a magnet located in said talking-circuit and cooperating with said armature for returning the signal to an inoperative position whenever a current 'passes over said circuit; substantially as described.

3. In combination with a telephone com prising a bell-ringing circuit and a talkingcircuit, a movable signal connected to an armature, a magnet consisting of a wound core located in said talking-circuit for cooperating with said armature, a pivotallyengaging said signal to retain it in an inoperative position, and a magnet consisting of a wound core located in said bell-ringing circuit for *cooperating with said pivotallymounted armature, substantially as described. y

4. In combination with a telephone comti ally as described.

[ this 26tl1;day of May, 1906 THOMAS P. JORDAN.

Witnesses:

R. M. JonNsoN, C. MAODERMOTT.

mounted armature provided with meanstfor' prismg a bell-rmgmg clrcult and a talkmgsi nal to an inoperative positiong substan- 3 Intestimony whereofl hereunto ZtlllXflTQ signature, in the presence-of two witnesses,- 

